Device for applying rubber sleeves



Oct. 2, 1951 R. H. HOWARD DEVICE FOR APPLYING RUBBER SLEEVES 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 17, 1947 Raw/ H. Howard A TTORNE Y.

Oct.2, 1951 R HOWARD' 2,569,993

DEVICE FOR APPLYING RUBBER SLEEVES Filed April 17, 1947 1 s Sheets- Sheet 2 9940/2 Howard INVENTOR.

I WWW ATTORNEY:

R. H. HOWARD 3 Sheets-$heet 5 g /Pa/p/2 H Howard INVEN TOR.

BY I 9% ATTORNE DEVICE FOR APPLYING RUBBER SLEEVES Oct. 2, 1951 Filed April 17, 1947 Fig.

Patented Oct. 2, 1951 UNITED STATES RATENT OFFICE 1 DEVICE FOR APPLYING RUBBER SLEEVES Ralph H. Howard, Oklahoma City, Okla.

Application April 17, 1947, Serial No. 742,209 (01. 29-236) 2 Claims. I

The invention relatesto devices for applying rubbersleeves, or protectorsleeves to drill pipes of the type used in oil wells, and has for its object to provide a device of this kind comprising a frame having radial hinged arms, the inner ends of which arms adapted to cooperate with the sleeve at its lower or upper end for forcing the protector sleeve over a mandrel and onto a pipe section.

A further object is to provide spring means carried by the frame and cooperating with the pivoted arms for urging the inner ends of the arms towards the protector sleeve ends, and holding the sleeve against movement as the expanding mandrel passes through the protector sleeve.

A further object is to provide means whereby the length of the arms may be varied accord ing to the diameter of th drill pipe and mandrel, and means whereb the spring action can be applied for urging the protector engaging ends of the arms downwardly or upwardly according to the mode of applying the protector.

A further object is to provide the inner ends of the hinged arms with protector engaging shoes, and a circular coiled spring connecting all of said shoes so that the shoes will move in unison and will be urged to a horizontal position for the starting of a sleeve applying operation.

With the above and other objects in view the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts as hereinafter set forth, shown in the drawings, described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a perspective view of the upper end of the applicator, showing the parts in position for the reception of a sleeve, and the passage of a mandrel through the sleeve.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of Figure 3.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of one of the hinged arms and support, the arm being shown in section.

Figure 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view through the applicator, showing the position of the hinged arms and tensioning spring when the protector is being applied to a pipe section moving upwardly from a rat hole.

Figure 5 is a vertical transverse sectional view through the applicator, showing the position of the parts and tensioning springs when the protector is being applied by a downward movement of the drill pipe and mandrel.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral l designates the derrick floor to which is secured, in any suitable manner, the applicator feet 2. Extending upwardly from the feet 2 are uprights 3, the upper ends of which are connected together by means of rigid braces 4. The upper end of each upright 3 terminates in a yoke 5, the arms of which are provided withbearings 6, in which bearings are rockably mounted the stub shafts I carried by opposite sides of the radially extending rockerarfns 8. Rocker arms 8 are chambered, as shown at 9, and 'a'djustably mounted in the inner ends of the arms '8 are extension arms II], which terminate in arcuate protector engaging members H, having upper and lower arcuate edges l2, V-shaped'in cross section and adapted to engage within the end ofthe protector sleeve is, according to the direction of movement of the mandrel M. It will be noted, in some cases, that the mandrel t passes upwardly throughthe protector sleeve, and in others, downwardly through the sleeve, depending upon whether drill pipe section is in the rat hole below the derrick floor, or whether the section is lowered through the applicator.

Where the drill pipe section is pulled upwardly the mandrel I l has attached thereto a line 16, which leads upwardly to the crown block of the derrick.

Referring to Figure 4, where there is an upward movement of the mandrel, the inner ends of the rocker arms 8 are forced downwardly by means of contracting springs H, the upper ends of which are hingedly connected at l-8 to the extension arms In and the lower end connected to turn buckles 19, which are in turn connected at 20 to the feet 2, carried by the platform. By adjusting turnbuckles IS, the tension of spring I! can be varied, however when the arms '8 are in a horizontal position, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 4, the convolutions of the springs I! are in engagement with each other. To further hold the arms 8 in a horizontal position, until a mandrel enters the same, an annular coiled spring 2| is provided, and which springextends through concentrically arranged apertures 22 in each of the shoes ll, therefore it will be seen that the shoes at all times are urged towards the mandrel or pipe.

Referring to Figure 5, the mandrel is shown passing downwardly through the protector, the springs U have been shifted to the outside of the uprights 3 and connected to the outer ends of the arms 8 at 23. Making the arms 8 hollow, prying bars can be placed therein for rocking any 3 or all of the shoes away from the mandrel or pipe, thereby preventing the shoes from gouging the mandrel or pipe when being removed from the applicator or from damaging the protector after it has been applied by an upward movement of the mandrel, as shown in Figure 4.

In operation, the parts of the applicator are in the position shown in Figure 1. The sleeve to be applied is placed on the arcuate shoe members l2 in a. vertical position; then the mandrel I4 is lowered through the sleeve and the weight of the drill pipe and mandrel will force the mandrel through the protector sleeve, as shown in Figure 5, with the shoes engaging and holding the lower end of the sleeve against downward movement, according to its position on the tapered mandrel. It will be noted that as the weight and taper of the mandrel passes downwardly, the rock arms will swing downwardly against the action of springs I! so that the shoes will-accommodate themselves to the increasing diameter of the mandrel. When the mandrel is worked upwardly, as shown in Figure 4, the shoe .ends of the rock members swing upwardly.

From the above it will be seen that a protector sleeve applicator is provided, which is simple in construction, the parts reduced to a minimum, and one which is positive in its operation.

As the mandrel size increases, while passing through or between the jaws or shoes, the angular contact of the shoes against the mandrel is changed and this changed angle causes the entire peripheral contact, regardless of what diameter of the mandrel the shoes may be engaging at the time. This is clearly shown in Figures 2 and 3, especially in the plan view, Figure 2.

The invention having been set forth, what is claimed as new and useful is:

1. A device for applying an expansible protector sleeve to a pipe over a tapered mandrel while 4 the mandrel and pipe are moved axially in either direction comprising a rigid frame having a base with an opening through which the mandrel and pipe move and a plurality of uprights circumferentially arranged around the opening, a rocker arm pivoted intermediate its ends to the upper end of each upright to rock about a horizontal axis, a sleeve engaging member secured to the inner end of each rocker arm, each of said members having upper and lower arcuate edges, V-shaped in cross section adapted to engage an end of a protector sleeve, and yieldable spring means for normally maintaining said rocker arms in a horizontal position and permitting the same to rock above and below said horizontal position.

2. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said spring means comprises a contractible endless coiled spring connecting the inner ends of the rocker arms, and a plurality of tension coiled springs, one for each rocker arm, each of said latter coiled springs having one end secured to the base and the opposite end secured to its rocker arm on either side of the pivot connecting the arm to the upright depending on the direction of pivoting of the rocker arm for applying the protector sleeve.

RALPH H. HOWARD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,228,229 Hall Jan. 7, 1941 2,252,692 Barnes Aug. 19, 1941 2,270,671 Hall Jan. 20, 1942 2,429,341 Ballagh Oct. 21, 1947 

